Boys basketball: Another look at Foran vs Hand

Bill Bloxsom

Published
5:28 pm EST, Thursday, January 14, 2016

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The SCC boys basketball game between Foran High and Daniel Hand from Madison couldn’t have been played with much more vigor than the two squads came up with at Edna Fraser Gymnasium in Milford on Monday, Jan. 11.

How tough were the Tigers? Daniel Hand’s Patrick Kerins took the ball to the basket, was well defended, but still banked in the game-winning basket with 1.2 seconds left to give coach Frank Rossi’s team a 75-73 victory.

How tough were the Lions? Coach Tim Swaller’s Foran team trailed by eight points at the half, only to battle back and with a 24-16 burst tie the game at 53-53 after three quarters.

“As a unit, as a group, everyone did their job and made big plays, made big shots,” Swaller said. “Kerins is a great player and he hit a tough shot. We defended well and had a hand in his face. He still hit it as time ran out.”

Hand improved to 5-2 on the season behind a trio of seniors — Kerins (24 points), Andrew Fitzgerald (20 points) and Matt Evans (10 points with a three 3-pointers).

Foran is now 2-7. Junior Zach Tavitian had 27 points, senior Jordan Townsend 25 and juniors Mike Sciuto and J.T. Lanese each knocked down three treys.

The Tigers made 7 threes and were 18-for-26 from the foul line.

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The Lions hit 9 long-range shots and were 16-for-25 from the stripe.

Lanese’s quick release from the corner off a pass from Townsend caught all net and the 3-pointer tied the game at 65 and forced a four-minute overtime.

Townsend scored five points in the first three minutes, including a spinner in the lane for a 71-70 lead.

Kerins hit a jumper and two free throws to put Hand in front 72-71 with 55 seconds left.

A Foran missed free throw and a Hand make took the score to 73-71.

Lanese from the wing gave the ball to Tavitian, who used a drop step to get free inside for a bucket. With 16.7 seconds left the game was tied for the 10th time.

Kerins got the ball on the right side and used a double move to split defenders before scoring the game-winner. Townsend’s desperation shot off the inbounds hit left of the rim.

Foran held a 19-14 lead after one period by sharing the ball.

Lanese had four of the Lions’ five assists in the stanza, with Townsend going off for 11 points. Sciuto and Matt Krempa made 3-pointers.

Kerins shook loose for the first of his three 3-point plays to end the quarter, and scored six points in the second period t o lead the Tigers back.

Evans nailed a pair of 3-pointers off the bench, and Hand limited Foran to a pair of Tavitian field goals and a 6-for-9 effort from the line to take a 37-29 lead into the break.

The steady Kerins scored another six points, and Evans another trey, but the third period belonged to the Lions.